One Charge Dropped in Bonds Perjury Trial

One of the five charges in the Barry Bonds perjury trial has been dropped. And according to a report ESPN.com, the defense has rested without calling a single witness.

Bonds' lawyer Allen Ruby announced the decision not to call a witness on Wednesday. The strategy was basically to emphasize the defense's belief that the prosecutors have failed to prove that Bonds lied to a federal grand jury when he said that he never knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs.

Prosecutors requested the dismissal of the charge after judge Susan Illston made it clear that she was planning on throwing out the charge.

Unfortunately for Bonds, this doesn't necessarily change anything, because his final sentence may be the same if he is convicted of any of the remainining charges.

"The dismissal is one less bullet to dodge on the liability side," explained defense attorney William Keane. "If Mr. Bonds is convicted on one or more of the remaining counts it will not have much of an impact on his ultimate sentence."

Bonds still faces three charges of lying to a grand jury and one of obstruction. Legal analysts have said that Bonds likely faces a maximum of 15 months if convicted but would likely receive a year of house arrest when actually sentenced.

(Sources: ESPN.com)

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